Doctoral positions available across all projects

The Collaborative Research Center (TRR379) on the Neuropsychobiology of Aggression is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and starts October 2024. The TRR aims to identify biosignatures of aggression in mental disorders based on multidimensional pathways that underlie the different manifestations of aggression to enable the development of tailor-made biosignature-specific prevention and intervention. The TRR integrates projects probing threat and frustration processing and cognitive control. We seek to identify and define cognitive mechanisms on a multilevel scale, advancing a detailed understanding of the biology, psychology, and physiology of specific aggressive biosignatures across mental disorders. Different projects translationally investigate biological mechanisms via animal models or modulatory and mediating factors in humans during development from early adolescence until adulthood as well as over the course of the disease. Studies on the methodological and computational bases are also part of the TRR. The clinical, longitudinal and developmental approach, together with a large dataset offers attractive perspectives for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

Doctoral researchers will be integrated into a transregional network providing a structured extended curriculum offering not only a network of young researchers, but also workshops, trainings, a lecture series and the option to rotate into another lab.

Participants will be granted a (TL-13, 65%) position initially for a period of 3 years. The TRR is designed to allow participants to acquire a doctoral degree (Dr. rer. nat., Dr. rer. medic., Dr. rer. med., Dr. sc. hum, PhD, Dr. rer. physiol, depending on the university and faculty (Natural Sciences or Medicine) depending on the primary institution where the doctoral candidate is affiliated with.

Applicants for the doctoral stipends must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent in a related field, such as neuroscience, psychology, physics, medicine, biology, biomedical sciences, be interested in neurobiological research of aggression. Programming and clinical skills are advantageous. We foster the inclusion of international candidates, however, we would like to stress that for part of the clinical projects with patients, German-speaking candidates have an advantage for projects with patient communication (diagnostics, psychopathological assessment).

Due to the strong international orientation of the TRR, candidates should have a sufficient command of the English language, both in writing and orally.

Further information on individual projects is available at this site.

Applications should be addressed to the respective PI of the project to which the applicant refers and the spokesperson Ute Habel.

Prof. Dr. Ute Habel
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, School of Medicine,
RWTH Aachen University,
Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen
Trr379@ukaachen.de

Applications can be submitted via email and should include a curriculum vitae along with copies of degree certificates and two letters of recommendation. Applicants are required to outline their future professional plans in a personal statement, in which they describe how their plans relate to the research topics of the TRR 379. At the TRR379, we are actively committed to equity of opportunity, diversity, belonging and inclusion. We believe that diversity in all its forms – be it gender, age, ethnic background, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or other personal characteristics – enriches our scientific culture and enhances our capacity for innovation. We are convinced that different perspectives and experiences help us develop the best solutions for our research initiative. Therefore, we explicitly invite individuals from the whole spectrum of diversity to apply. Your unique background and individual skills are a valuable contribution to our team. All applications are treated equally regardless of personal characteristics, and equal opportunity is actively promoted.